Red Alert: Some Really Good Celtics News

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

In a non Web posted article, that's sure to soothe the heavy
heart of renown Celtics-and-Media Critic Professor Bob
McChesney, the Boston Herald's Steve Bulpett tells
us today that Celtics could draft for the future.

Take it away Steve:

"Judging by its approach to the June 27 draft, the Celtic brass appear
poised to take the longer road back.  With their three first round
picks,
the Celts may well take a high-schooler and a European player
who quite possibly won't be available to the team until the 2002-
2003 season (Pau Gasol). The impact of the three picks may not
be felt in the near future, but there's a reason the new Charles River
bridge wasn't constructed with Tinker Toys."


Bulpett goes on to say Pitino was scared off by high-schoolers,
whereas current GM Chris Wallace has no problem with them,
or as Wallace himself says: "'Have you seen Kobe Bryant?'"
Wallace also notes that it's talent that wins in the NBA, no
matter how young that talent may be.

Celtics coach O'Brien, in the article, addresses the possibility
of dealing the choices for a veteran player. Yes, that's
possible, but said veteran would have to have both a short term
and long range impact.  They are not bringing in somebody,
as O'Brien states:

"'that's toward the downside of his career just so we could make
the playoffs over the next two years, because these three picks
are players that could go a long way for a long time with the
Celtics.'"

(Wow. Like an Emancipation Proclamation for correctly building
an NBA team. I'm impressed. I do however see a few negatives
along the way:

A) Gasol won't be there at 10.

B) Chandler will.

I can't see Gasol getting by Cleveland or Detroit - two teams
both concentrating on scoring small forwards.

And as far as Chandler goes, I was cringing reading the
comments of Stephen Hunter from Depaul, a late
first round pick in this draft, who said that Chandler
was basically the same player that he is,
minus two years of college. Not exactly a ringing
endorsement.

The best bet for the Celtics may be to get on the
phone with the Ursus arctos horriblis,
do BSG's 11& 21 for 6 deal and take Gasol
or Rodney White there.

And the thing that concerns most about this draft is that
White, Gasol, and Johnson may be all gone by
10.)
Ray